The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-14
MEXICO AND THE CHURCH.
Improved Prosperity of the Country Since
the Confiscation of Ecclesiastical Property.


Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal.
ZACATECAs. Mex, Aug. SIT is fact
that will hardly be questioned by the most zeal
Gus churehman, that where any one religious or
ganization controls the spiritual affairs of a ma
ton the result must surely be state OF intoler-
ance towards other beliefs and a persecution of
all who attempt to introduce anything in morals
or religion not first approved by the church in
power. Wien, going still further, as is usually
the case, the dominant religious organization at
tempts and probably succeeds in controlling. to
large extent, the direction of political affairs,
until the Will OF the church becomes the pleas
ure of the state, then has the condition of the
people be ONE deplorable indeed, and the time
for revolution and reform has fully arrived.
Such the condition of affairs in Mexico
from the time of the submission of the Aztecs to
the Spaniard Cortez, up to the revolution Of
1857. The constitution of 1857 and subsequent
legislation opened the way for change for the
better, but little effected in the way of inn
provement until Benito Juarez was placed at the
head of civil affairs.
Benito Juarez, who was chosen President of
Mexico in 1867, and served for four years, was
an Indian, in whose veins drop of other blood
could be traced STILL his conceptions of a re-
publican form of government were far in nd
vance of those of all the preten,ious Mexican
and Spanish politicians of his day. Under his
administration of affairs was 1nauguratei a
policy which has resulted in a very marked i'm
provement in the legislation of the republic, and
in securing to this country better position
among the nations Of the world. Juarez was a
born soldier--a natural leader of men-r;Adical
in all his views, and determined and persistent
in the carrying out of any purpose conceived by
of the people. While his impulses were always
patriotic and unselfish, his Judgment not
always free from error. The most stipend Gus
undertaking of his administration was the seiz-
ure and conGscation of all the monasteries, uun
peries and great Moorish cathedrals and
churches. condemnine all such property to be
sold for the benefit of the public treasury.
The order for the confiscation of all church
property was secretly prepared and transmitted
the proper officials in each canton, and was
suddenly and quietly executed that no oppor-
tunity was afforded for resistance. By this de-
all religious societies were broken up, and
the Jesuits, monks, Sisters OF Charity and nuns
were quietly but summarily banished from the
country. Soy well was the order executed, and
SO effectually has it been enforced that one may
travel through Mexico from Ell Paso to
Tehuantepec, without seeing a convent mon
astery or Jesuit college, and will never meet
upon the streets of city or in public thorough
church official wearing garb peculiar
to their Offices vocations. All
public displays. such as religious street process
sions frequeIt-entrely too frequent
twenty years ago. are now unknown. There
was time when a religious procession-partic-
uarly the procession of ''the host'-passing
through the streets. was the signal for ali spec
tators along the line of march to knee with
covered head and so remain until the process
sion had passed. Those who through ignorance
to the custom, or through stubbornness, neg
lected to show this respect to the church, were
violently assaulted. and in some instances
verely injured. Such displays longer
sacred office, is not even allowed to accompany
the remains of one OF his parshioners to the
cemetery for nterment. Cemeteries in Mexico
not blessed and consecrated by the church.
and Catholics and unbelievers rest side by side
in the general Campo Santo."
When 1t is considered that at the time this
decree issued almost every man. woman
and child in the republic were Roman Catholics.
and that up to this time the will of the church
had been the policy of the state the bodness of
the proceeding seems perfectly amazing The
Spaniards who conquered the country under
Cortez had established this form of religion in
Mexico, in 1921, and so universally had it been ac-
cepted by the people that it had superseded the
Aztec form of worship even in remote villages
where the Spanish nguage was almost unknown.
Yet this scheme for the confscation of the
property of this most formidable religious
ganiZation was suddenly and successfully car
red out under the direction Of Juarez, and the
result is looked upon by all the people
with, apparently, the utmost indifference.
1t would be reasonable to conclude that the
actual needs of any church would require but;
little real estate. A place for worship. and irl
some localities parish school when other school
provided. are about the only actual needs
of any church in any country, so far as the pos
session of real property is concerned
In Mexico the church owned vast real inter
ests and held liens upon the product of nearly |
every acre of land within the limits of the !
public. It is estimated that the value of the |
church property which the Mexican governm emit |
violently and wrongfuly seized and sold was |
nearly 5000. 600, 600. Prior to the accession of |
Juarez in 1867 the revenue of the church from |
tithes, gifts parochial assessments. etc, not
less than SIS. 000. 900 annually
When the time came for the sale of confiscated |
church buildings and lands. 1t was found that |
the Catholics would not purchase Gods prop |
erty' from the government. Handsome churches, |
immense monastic estates, and large educa- |
tional institutions were bid in by those having |
CT many of these purchasers have thereby ba- |
come wealthy. Public libraries, museums. |
depots, factories and theaters have taken pos |
session of grand old churches. while in many |
cases Protestant missionaries looking for place |
to establish a church, have had their choice of |
con fscated property at a trif1ing cost.
OF course there are many Catholic churches |
still existing in Mexico, and the form of wers hip
peculiar to that church is observed by nearly all !
the natives. At the same time it is we'll under |
stood that all buildings occupied the |
property of the government, and that they may |
be sold converted to other at the pleas
ure of those in control of national affairs.